Woven fabric



June 22, 1954 P. H. SLAUGHTER WOVEN FABRIC 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. '21, 1948 INVENTOR. PHILIP H. SLAUGHTER ATTORNEY June 22, 1954 P. H. SLAUGHTER WOVEN FABRIC 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 21, 1948 FIG.5

FIG.6

F'IG.7

INVENTOR. PHILIP H. SLAUGHTER ATTORNEY Patented June 22, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to the article and meth 0d of making an improved woven fabric suitable for draperies, curtains, tags and for various other uses.

Previously, fiat decoratively-figured woven materials have been used for draperies and other ures on the face side of the fabric; and suitable means for suspending the drapery material from a rigid rod, or a cord or other member, was provided by folding an end and making, by sewing, a hem open at each end and of a sufficient width to accommodate the rod or other member on which the drapery is to be suspended. Sometimes both ends of the fabric are hemmed in this manner so that the lower end may be held substantially stationary in place.

The stringy threads which are often seen floating loosely on the back side of a figured fabric are not only unsightly but are subject to being caught on some object contacting these stringy threads when either the fabric or the object moves, which often results in pulling the threads with such force that the fabric is distorted or the figure on the face side of the. fabric is partially or completely destroyed.

It is an object of this invention to provide a hole or opening through the width of the fabric through which may be inserted a rod or other supporting member, which hole or opening is woven into the fabric while the fabric is being made.

It is another object of this invention to provide a method of weaving a transverse hole or opening in a fabric.

It is another object of this invention to provide a fabric, and a method of weaving the same, with decorative or otherwise useful figures woven in the face of the fabric so that the portions of the figure-forming yarns which do not appear in the figure are not exposed in an unsightly manner on the opposite side of the fabric, but are effectively concealed by other portions of the fabrie, thereby making it unnecessary to sew another fabric cover onto the original fabric.

It is another object of this invention to provide a fabric, and a method of weaving the same, with designs woven on both face and back of the fabric (or on two or both faces of a fabric) which designs may be the same or different on each face, with the portions of the figure or design forming yarns which are not used in a figure elfectively concealed from view.

It is another object of this invention to provide a double-faced decorative fabric which may be split by a knife moving between the two outside plies parallel to the planes of these plies. Each face then furnishes a fabric which can be used, for example, as an insignia to be sewn onto a garment or for other uses. In this way in weaving some figures or designs as military service stripes, etc., a considerable amount of colored figure-forming yarn may be saved over the method of weaving auxiliary decorative warp yarns through the weft plane of a single ply fabric.

Some of the objects having been stated, other objects and advantages will appear as the following description is read and. is taken into consideration in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which the same reference char acters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is an exaggerated sectional side view of a fabric according to my invention.

Fig. 2 shows a non-detailed isometric view of a fabric woven with designs on two faces in accordance with the principle of forming the designs shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing a three-ply fabric instead of a two-ply fabric.

Fig. 4 is a non-detailed isometric view showing a fabric woven in accordance with the design construction and the construction of the fabric around the hole according to the principle illustrated in Fig. 1, with detail showing how the weft threads are looped at one edge to make an opening in that selvage.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a modified form with double binder.

Fig. 6 is an exaggerated sectional view of three-ply fabric according to my invention.

Fig. 7 is a schematic view of a modified form according to my invention.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary detail plan view of the woven design as it appears in the inside of the tubular fabric shown in Fig. 7.

In Fig. 1 the warp threads l3 and i l interwoven with the weft threads N form a fabric which would be a fabric independent of any other portion of the fabric, however, here it forms an outside ply of a two-ply fabric. In similar manner the warp threads l5 and I6 interwoven with the weft threads l2 form a fabric which would be a fabric independent of any other portion of the fabric, which, however, here forms the second outside ply of a two-ply fabric. In Fig. 1 these two plies are bound together at the selvages (except for the length of the fabric tive picks.

. gather, at that selvage.

within bracket A) by the weft threads which are woven alternately in each of the two plies, and the weft thread being a continuous thread after passing through one ply turns at each edge and returns through the other ply, except in the portion. enclosed by the bracket A (which is the portion with the hole woven in it), in which the weft thread is placed in one ply for two consecutive picks, or any even number of picks, and is then placed in the other ply for two consecuwhen the weft thread is turned after the insertion of the first of a pair of picks it turns to return in the same weft plane and therefore does not bind the edge of that ply on that side of the fabric to the corresponding edge of the In this manner it can be seen that 4 of the fabric. This is optional as some uses of the fabric may not require the stufier warp to be so removed from the hole. The stuffer warp may be woven into either ply, or some threads warp (or any. other warp) -.should be woven into both plies in the hole portion as obviously there would be no hole where the two plies are bound together.

I have shown in Figs. 1 and 4 how the hole is woven in a two-ply fabric. A hole may be woven .in similar-.manner in a fabric of any number of plies just so it is between any two adjacent plies 1 within the scope :of my invention. A three-ply bottom ply. In similar manner the weft thread in being placed in the bottom ply does not bind it .tothe corresponding edge of the top ply. How

ever, after the second of a pair of consecutive picks in one of the two plies the weft thread is turned and insertedin'the other ply, which ordinarily would bindthe edges of the .two plies to- To prevent these edges being bound together I provide a long wire needle 28 which isfastened to-sorne convenient stationary object on the loom .on the opposite side of the heddles from the reed, and is then passed through the eye of a heddle and then through a dent .in the reed which dent is far enough 1 cm the nearest edge of the fabric to form a loop 2? of desired length in'the weft thread on that side of the fabric as the weft thread turns and enters another ply of thefabriaas seen in Fig. l. The needle is so manipulated by the heddle that when the second pick of a .consec'utive pair of picks of the weftthread is being placed in the top ply 2i of the fabric the needleis in the lowered position so that that pick passes over the needle. Before the shuttle begins toreturn through the shed for placing a pick .of the weft/thread in the lower ply 22 the heddle bearing the needle is raised so that the shuttle and weft thread will pass under it thereby makinga loop '27 in the weft thread onthat edge and preventing the two selvages of the .two' plies of the fabric from being bound closely together at .that edge. When the second pick of a pair of consecutive picks is being placed in the bottom ply 22 the needle is in a raised position and the weft thread passes under the needle. Before the shuttle begins to -move to place the next pickin the top ply 2! the needle is lowered so that theweft thread passes overit thereby making aloop. This looped weft off the needle as the woven fabric is wound, or taken up by the loom as weaving progresses.

Any individual thread of the binder warp, which has been binding the weft threads in the top and bottom ply must be woven in one ply only, but this one ply may be either one of the two plies, in order to. prevent the binder warp from obstructing thehole. In Fig. 1 I have carried the binder warp H to the top ply to keep it clear of the. hole portion. The binder warp may be all in one ply at the hole portion of the fabric (either ply) or aiportion maybe in one .ply and a portion in the other ply.

The stuifer warps l8 and I9 in Fig. 1 have been carried to the bottom ply and'woven into the bottom ply to keep it clear of the holeportion fabric-.may have two holes (or less) at any one point, one superimposed over the other, and a four-ply fabric may have three such holes at any point, etc., the maximum number of holes at any one point being one less than'the'number of plies in the "fabric. Any number of holes may appear in a fabric along its length within the scope of my invention.

If it is desirable to-have a hole woven for only a portion of the distance across a fabric the binder warp threads in this, portion must be woven'so as not to pass through the hole portion, but may pass through any and all weft'planes in the portion beside and adjacent to the hole portion within the scope of my invention. In Fig. l, binder warp thread if binds the weft threads of the upper ply and'the weft threads of the lower ply (except in the portion of the fabric in brackets'A) by being raised above'the weft whenthe weft is placed in the upper ply and by being lowered below the weft when the weft is placed in the lower ply, with suitable tension on the binderwarp thread H to pull the two -outside plies asclose to each other as desired. Anynumber of binder warp threads may be used'across the width of the fabric.

Of course the upper .ply (in Fig. i) may contain anyv desired number of warp threads i3 and it as desired to get any wanted practical width or density, and likewise any number of warp threads l5 and '85 may be used in the lower ply. Any threads in this fabric maybe alike or unalike as to material, size, color, density, etc, de-

pending on results desired, without departing from the scope of my invention. The binder warp thread ll maybe omitted if .desired, within the scope of my invention, or a double binder if,

I? may be employed, as shown in Fig. 5.

Threads 58 and I9 are auxiliary warp threads used to decorate either or both faces and here .(Fig. 1) they alsoserveas a stuifer warp. Looking at Fig. l, to the right of brackets A,,it .can be seen that atany desired point either or both of these auxiliary warp threads, which are figureforming threads, may in weaving the fabric be brought to the outsidegof the weft threads in in eitheroutside ply, as at 24, 25 on the top or 26 on the bottom, thereby becoming visible as they are then on an outside surface of the fabric. Alsopat anypoint (i. e. between any two consecutive weft picks of the ply) along the path of a figure-forming warp thread the figure-forming thread or threadsmay be brought back to the opposite .side of the weft plane of that ply. By using a sufficient number of figure-forming warp threads in any pro-determined color arrangement an unlimited variety of figures may be formed on the outer surface of the fabric for decorativeor other useful purposes. In Fig. 1 I

have shown only two different colors, for the sake of simplicity; however, any number of colors may be employed here. Also each of these figureforming threads may be operated by the heddle and conventional looms shedding mechanism independently of any other threads, or in a group or in groups with other threads, depending on the results desired. To get the effect of any one color from the figure-forming warp on the surface of the fabric in any certain desired width, obviously figure-forming threads of the desired color must be provided in sufficient quantity across the fabric, and so entered in the heddles and reed to give the desired placing and effect. It would be'good practice to have all colors desired spread all across the width of the fabric if all colors are wanted in one or more places, either together or independent of each other, across the width of the fabric. Figures (identical as to size and shape, or different) of different colors may be made to appear in the same relative position as to distance from a selvage, but farther advanced warpwise along the fabric. This can be accomplished by having two different colored auxiliary warps of the same number of ends and the same width either super-imposed, one over the other, or arranged in the same plane with alternate ends of a color, with all these ends paired, that is one end of each of the two colors making a pair, each pair of these ends being entered in adjacent heddles (operable independ ently) and the two ends of each pair being entered in the reed together, that is, adjacent to each other with no other warp thread between them. Obviously, then, either color, as at 24, 25, or even both colors together, as at 25, may be brought to the outer surface of the fabric. In the latter case a blend of the two colors used will give a third color or shade effect when only two colors or shades are used. There is no limit to the number of colors and shades which may be used in the figure-forming warp threads, and adding colors multiplies the color effects possible because of the blending feature.

which threads need not be visible from outside the fabric, without departing from the scope of my invention.

The figure-forming warp threads may in the construction of the fabric, lie on the outside of the tubular fabric except at places where a design is formed, and then where the design is to appear be within the fabric, so that when the tube is turned inside out the design will be on the outside of the fabric, without departing from the scope of my invention. Also this same construction may be employed and the tube woven together, bound, for example by the weft thread as different from a binder warp thread at spaced apart intervals, forming pockets which may be cut apart as shown in Fig. 7. In Fig. 7 the portion 29 indicated by dotted lines is woven together as a single ply, with a single weft plane,

and therefore is not tubular at this point. This is done in weaving this portion of the fabric by manipulating the warp threads of one ply with the warp threads of another ply substantially as if these warp threads were all weaving a single ply fabric in a conventional manner to weave any conventional single ply weave or any other 6 suitable single ply weave. The middle dotted line is the cut mark, and if the fabric is cut across the warp threads at this point it will leave closed ends of bags on each side of the cut mark. 3030 is another cut mark across a portion, however, which is tubular, and when this cut portion is hemmed and the fabric turned inside out a pocket, or sleeve with one close-d end, and one open end, with a design on the new outside surface appears.

A fabric which for a portion of its length, warp- Wise, is substantially a single-ply fabric and then for another length is tubular, of two or more plies, having two or more weft planes, the outside two plies each being substantially a complete fabric in itself, independent of any yarns in any other ply (which may or may not be woven into that ply) with auxiliary figure-forming Warp(s) which passes (or pass) through at least one of the plies to form a figure is within the scope of my invention.

In the illustrations (Fig. 1 and others) I have shown the construction of the outside ply as plain weave. The weave construction of any outside ply (and any'inside ply) may be that of any known weave for a single-ply fabric, some of which are the various twill weaves, basket weaves, satin weaves, rib weaves, etc., or combinations or modifications of these within the scope of my invention.

While I have illustrated by picture as in Fig. l, for example, and by written description, how the fabric may be constructed with sufficient clearness for any expert in designing ply fabrics to so weave a fabric of my invention, I will proceed to describe the process in more detail.

A method of weaving the fabric as shown in Fig. 1 is to use four warp beams. The body warp yarns ends, 1. e., l3, M, 5 and E6 in Fig. l are wound onto one warp beam. The binder warp yarn ends ll are wound onto a second beam as the linear take-up is much greater on these ends. The figure-forming warp yarn ends iii are wound onto a third warp beam and the figure-forming warp yarn ends l9 are wound onto a fourth warp beam. Diiferent beams are used because the rate of lineartake-up is different with each set of warp yarns and unless these warps are put onto separate beams serious weaving difiiculties due to uneven warp tension will be experienced. Warp yarns l8 and 19 may be wound onto a single beam if the figures or designs which each weaves require approximately the same amount of linear warp take-up, or weaving contraction. Conventional rotation-restraining means are used on each warp yarn beam to let off the warp beam from each beam at its proper tension. In using a Jacquard loom the most versatile results in weaving the figures are obtainable. However, for simple figures a dobby type loom may be employed, and for the sake of simplicity I will describe the manner in which a dobby loom weaves the fabric in Fig. l. The body warp yarns l3 and it are entered in heddles in a set of heddle frames requiring at least two frames, for a plain weave, and as many more would be required as the type weave in the top ply would require in weaving a single-ply fabric of any particular weave construction. In similar manner the body warp yarns l5 and it are entered in heddles in another set of heddle frames. Binder warp yarns H are entered in heddles in another set of hed dle frames the yarn ends being desirably placed at spaced apart intervals across the width of the warps in the loom. Figure-forming warp yarns in the reed.

"it are entered in heddles in another set of heddle frames spaced across the body of the warps in the loom in desirable manner to cover some particular width and in some particular density or sley (number of ends per unit of width) the quantity of ends entered in any one heddle frame being dependent on the design to be woven, as these are entered just as if a colored figure-forming warp were to be used to form figures in a single-ply fabric, and in like manner figureforming warp yarns it are entered in another set of heddle frames. In this manner either set of figure-forming warp yarns may have its own at of heddle frames manipulated in various sequences indepenedntly of or in conjunction with the he-ddle frames of the other set of figureforming warp yarns. Another warp beam containing stufler-warp yarns may be employed if desired, and, would be entered in another set of heddle frames. As is weaving practice, ends which are adjacent to each other in the heddles though in the same or different heddle frames remain adjacent to each other in entering them The dobby chain is pegged in such manner that on alternate picks the weft-trailing shuttle passes through a shed in each outside ply, except in weaving the hole portion of the fabric in which case on alternate pairs of picks the weft-trailing shuttle passes through a shed in each outside ply of the two-ply fabric In weaving a non-decorated portion of the fabric, while no hole is being woven, on one pick the shuttle passes through a shed formed by warp ends i3 and i l of the top ply and while this shed is open the body warp ends 15 and it? and the figureforming warp ends 5% and 19 are, by manipulation of the heddle frames, held below the path of the shuttle, while the binder warp ii is held above the path of the shuttle. On the next, or second pick, the shuttle passes through a shed formed by the body warps i5 and it of the bottom ply. While the shuttle is to one side of the fabric between the tune of the first pick and the second pick the heddle frames are manipulated so that all body warp yarns i 3 and Hi and figureforrning warp yarns i8 and is are above the path of the shuttle and binder warp yarn I l is brought below the path of the shuttle, all these yarns remaining in this position for the passage of the shuttle on the second pick, with yarns i5 and Hi forming the shed for the weaving of that pick. After the second pick, and before the third pick, which is to be in a shed formed by the body warp yarns i3 and it, all warp yarns are positioned the as they were on the first pick except warn yarns i3 and it, which in weaving a plain weave the top ply as shown in Fig. 1 requires that the relative positions of heddle frames bearing warp yarns is and i l be exactly reversed, that which was raised on the first is now lowered on the third pick and that which was lowered on the first pick is now raised on the third pick and the shuttle passes through the shed of the top ply for the third pick with the warp ends in this position. Between the third and fourth picks the heddle frames are again manipulated so as to have all thewarp yarns in exactly the same position they were in for the second pick,

a with the exception of body warp ends and it, which are reversed in the same manner as were body warp ends [3 and is for the third pick mentioned above. With the warp ends in this position the shuttle passes through the shed of the bottom ply. This operation is repeated in cycles of four picks for plain weave inboth plies 8 until it is either desired to form a figure or to form a hole in the fabric. In forming a figure heddle frames for all warps except i8 and [9 are manipulated the "same as just described. It is decided which face is to bear the figure and which set of warps (l3 or ill) or whether both sets are to form the figures to be woven and the heddle frames are so manipulated that any warp ends 18 or It which are required to form the figure are brought to the outside of the ply on which the design or figure is to appear, and during the weaving of that design where any particular figure-forming thread is necessary it is kept on the outside of that ply (kept raised if it appears in the top ply, or kept lowered if it appears in the bottom ply) during the weaving process until that thread is no longer needed in the figure, at which point it is moved so as to be inside the tube formed by the two outside plies, and it is then manipulated in cycles the same as described above for picks one, two, three and four, until it is needed to appear in another figure. It is good weaving practice to avoid letting any single warp end float (lie along the surface of the fabric in an unbound state) for too great alength which may cause it to get out of place by being pulled, and to prevent this where a decorative warp end appears for any appreciable length the thread should be brought under (in speaking of the top ply) or over (in speaking of the bottom ply) one or sometimes lore picks of the Weft in the ply involved and then brought back to the outside. This may be repeated at intervals if an unusually long float is to be prevented. A decorative warp end being behind a weft thread in such manner for only one pick does not necessarily detract appreciably from the ideal desired result or visual effect.

If it is desired to weave a design in both faces of a ply'fabric at the same relative position along the length of the fabric (warp wise) necessitating the appearance of a certain figure-forming thread on both surfaces the heddle frame controlling that thread may be manipulated so as to bring that thread to the outside surface of one ply on a pick of the weft in that ply and then to the outside surface of the other ply on a pick of the weft in that ply, alternating in this manner as long as it is necessary for the thread to appear in both surfaces simultaneously during the weaving of the fabric This same method may be employed where it is desired to closely bind the figure-forming warp ends, as between each pick in the figure'bea-ring face of the fabric, and where it is of no consequence if the figureforining yarn appears in another ply of the fabric. This forms a more compact fabric.

To weave the hole as shown by 2b in Fig. l the order of the picks in sheds for the top ply and bottom ply changed from alternate single picks in each ply to alternate pairs-of-consecutive-picks in each ply, and the heddles bearing binder warp threads i? are made to move with and like at least some of the body warp threads of the top ply and definitely not passing from one ply across the hole portion to another ply, while the heddles bearing figure-forming warp threads I 8 and is are made to move with and like at least some of the warp threads of the bottom ply. The function of the needle to form an appreciable loop in the wef threads on the edge of the fabric has already been described. In weaving a hole in similar manner with either binder warp or figure-forming warp moving in any manner to be woven into a ply or plies of the fabric as long as there are no warp threads passing from one ply to another through a portion of the fabric where there is supposed to be a hole it is within the scope of my invention.

The fabric I have described and method of weaving I have described have employed single shuttle but it is within the scope of my invention to use a plurality of shuttles carrying the same or different weft yarns, as may be desired, where the fabric so produced or the method employed is within the scope of my claims.

Single and multiple ply fabrics have been woven by others in the past, but a hole or opening across the width of a fabric and extending for a portion only along the length of the fabric is my invention.

My invention provides a multiple ply fabric, of at least two plies, which fabric may be con structed in more than one Way to provide a hole or opening across all or a portion of the width of a fabric. This may be woven on an ordinary dobby loom, or Jacquard loom or other loom provided there are suflicient different heddle moving means. As any warp thread may be made to move up (above the Weft plane) or down (below the weft plane) on a suitable conventional loom prior to the placement by the loom of any weft thread, the loom will not be described here.

A fabric of two or more plies may be woven with figured face or faces according to my method and with or without an opening at one or more places at a selvage and extend toward the selvage on the opposite edge of the fabric and remain Within the scope of my invention. I have shown a detailed construction of a two-ply fabric in Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5, and a three-ply fabric in Figs. 3 and 6, by way of example, but fabrics of even more plies have been constructed in the past and once my principles of construction are understood they are applicable by one experienced in weaving design and woven fabric construction to tubular type fabrics of any number of plies.

I claim:

1. A multi-ply tubular woven fabric in which certain yarn forms an outside ply, certain other yarn forms another outside ply, and other yarn constitutes a stuifer warp which is interwoven into an outside ply at intervals in such manner as to form a design thereon and at other intervals is completely contained between the two outside plies of the fabric and in which still other yarn forms a series of binder warp threads for securing said plies together at closely spaced intervals.

2. A multi-ply tubular woven fabric having Woven designs appearing at a certain point on an outside surface of an outside ply and in which certain yarns form the woven designs and certain other yarns form the background into which the designs are woven, said design forming yarns being completely contained between the outside plies at all points where said designs do not appear on an outside surface of an outside ply and in which still other yarn forms a series of binder warp threads for securing said plies together at closely spaced intervals.

3. A multi-ply woven tubular fabric consisting of a plurality of separate warp-and-weft plies in which stuffer warp yarns of different colors are woven to form designs in at least one outside ply, at least one of said designs being woven of one color, at least one other design being woven of a plurality of colors, said design forming yarns being enclosed within the boundaries of the outside plies where said yarns are not used to form a design. and in which still other yarn forms a series of binder warp threads for securing said plies together at closely spaced intervals.

4. A tubular woven multi-ply fabric in which certain yarns form a design in at least one ply, additional sets of warp and filling threads which form the tubular portion of the fabric are bound together by weaving into closely related plies to form a substantially solid fabric for a certain portion of the length of said fabric, and in a certain other portion of the length of said fabric said plies are separated to form a hollow space.

5. A multi-ply tubular woven fabric in which certain yarn forms an outside ply, certain other yarn forms another outside ply, and other yarn constitutes a stuffer warp which is interwoven into one outside ply at intervals in such manner as to form a design thereon for a portion of the length of said fabric, said stuffer warp being also interwoven in another outside ply in such manner as to form a design thereon for another portion of the length of said fabric, said stuffer warp between said design portions being completely contained between the outside plies of said fabric and in which still other yarn forms a series of binder warp threads for securing said plies together at closely spaced intervals.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 303,211 Bray Aug. 5, 1884 512,694 Giffen Jan. 16, 1894 729,161 Hanson May 26, 1903 822,155 Sano May 29, 1906 881,386 Earnshaw Mar. 10, 1908 1,062,238 Jennings May 20, 1913 1,137,405 Jennings Apr. 27, 1915 1,186,612 Satinover June 13, 1916 1,625,329 Oehrle Apr. 29, 1927 1,937,076 Werk Nov. 28, 1933 1,995,868 Sidebotham Mar, 26, 1935 2,025,039 Cannon Dec. 24, 1935 2,041,841 Lanz May 26, 1936 2,072,152 Blake Mar. 2, 1937 2,079,831 Bauer et al May 11, 1937 2,100,197 McRae Nov. 23, 1937 2,433,239 Rasero Dec. 23, 1947 2,531,082 Sidebotham Nov. 21, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 5,087 Great Brita n of 1903 10,111 Great Britain of 1895 19,913 Great Britain of 1906 329,390 Great Britain May 22, 1930 

